Shoe.



G. L. PIERCE.

SHOE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15, 19M.

1,184,013. Patnted May23,1916f WITNESSES.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE L. PIERCE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO A. G. SPALDING &3305.,

" OF NEW YORK. N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SHOE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 15, 1914. Serial No. 831,908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 'I, GEORGE L. PIERCE, a

citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Brooklyn, inthe county .of

Kings and-State of New York, (whose postoflice address is 660-Pacificstreet, Brooklyn, New York,) have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is designed to provide an improved type of foot-covering,and especially aims to provide a boot or shoe constructed to subserve ina high degree the purposes of comfort, security, protection anddurability, during athletic exercises of the wearer, as for instance inthe game of hockey. I

An important object of the invention is to provide a boot or shoe of theabove nature adapted particularly to protect the instep of the wearerfrom danger of injury due to accidental or other blows of hockey sticksor other objects which are sometimes brought with force against the footof a contestant.

Other objects and aims of the invention, more or less broad than thosestated above, together with the advantages inherent, will be in partobvious and in part specifically referred to in the course of thefollowing description of the elements, combinations, arrangements ofparts, and applications of principles constituting the invention; and

the scope of protection contemplated will appear from the claims.

Referring now to the accompanym drawing, which is to be taken as a part0 this specification and wherein 1s shown one of the various possibleembodiments of thls invention as at present preferred: Figure 1 is aview in side elevation, showing said embodiment; Fig. 2 is a top planview of the parts shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view ofan illustrative type of protector which could be used in connectlon withthe shoe proper illustrated in Figs. 1,

and 2. I

Examining the drawing, there is shown an illustrativesupporting shoestructure of a well-known type, including a sole 4, a vamp 5, quarters6, a plurality of lacingholes 7 a toe-cap 8, and a lacing 9 and theusual tongue inside the shoe behind the laclng 9. In Fig. 1 the toe-cap8 is shown as being lntegrally' formed with a tongue-like,

Patented May 23, 1916. i

upwardly and rearwardly extending member 10 as shown, although it is ofcourse obvious that this member 10 or an equivalent thereof couldotherwise be carried by 01' attachable to the shoe as, for instance, bythe stitching 10' disclosed in Fig. 2, or by lacing along this line 10.The member 10 as disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2, it will be observed, isgenerally of an oblong outline, and is preferably apertured as at 11(Fig. 2). Suitably attached to the rear face of said member 10 is 2.preferably resilient shock-absorbing cushion 12, which may be of felt orthe like. This cushion 12 has a plurality of apertures, certain of whichregister with. certain or all of the apertures 11.

In connection with the member 10 disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2, there is inthe present instance associated a part 13, which may hereinafter bereferred to as the instephood. This instep-hood is disclosed as beinggenerally of a cruciform outline, consisting of a main portion (whichmay or may not. be apertured), oppositely off-set from which f are twostrap-like extensions 13. One of't hese extensions is preferablyterminally anchored by suitable stitching or otherwise at one side ofthe shoe structure, and the other end may have a series of spacedbuckle-engaging holes 15. A buckle 15', carried by strap 16, said strapbeing preferably terminally anchored within the shoe structure asadjacent the location 18, is adapted to cooperate with one of theextensions 13 and with one of the holes 15 formed in the latter, asdisclosed in Figs. 1 and 2, whereby to cause or cooperate in cans ingthemember 10 and its cushion 12 to be brought into yielding engagementand conformity with the foot of the wearer. Of

member 10, could terminally or otherwise carry a buckle similar to thebuckle 15 or an equivalent means for the temporary attachment of eitheror all of said parts to the shoe structure; there being provided inconnection therewith, of course, a suitable plurality of cooperatingstraps or the like which would preferably be terminally anchored to theshoe structure. I

Having thus described the construction of this. embodiment of myinvention, a preferable method of mounting the same upon the foot of thewearer may next be indicated. With the laces9 suitably loosened,

the foot is inserted into the interior of the shoe, and the interiortongue 4 is next adjusted. The laces are then passed through thelacing-holes 7 and adjusted to bring the vamp 5 firmly against the foot,the laces be-v ing then permitted to dangle until the nextdescribed stepis completed, to wit, the ad-.

justment of the member 10, plate 12 and instep-hood 13. Assuming theshoe to have been constructed in accordance with the dis-' closure ofFigs. 1 and 2, thatis, with the lower forward terminus of member 10 andwith one of the extensions 13' terminally an chored to the shoestructure, the buckle 15 carried by the strap 16 is caused to cooperatewith one of the holes 14' formed in the free extension 13, to draw andmaintain the cushion 12 snugly against the instep. The laces 9 are thenpassed upwardly as shown through a plurality of the apertures in cushion12, and through the registering apertures 11 inthe member 10, and tiedor knotted in place, as indicated at 11', to aid in supporting theintegrity of the entire structure.

In Fig. 3 a further modification of the structure of Figs. 1 and 2 isillustrated. Here a cushion 12 similar'to the cushion above consideredis present. Associated 'with the cushion and suitably attached 18 asillustrated could of course be used in connection with a plurality ofstraps and buckles on opposite sides of the shoe and respectivelysimilar to the strap 16 and the buckle 15' shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thusrendering both the extensions 18 readily detachable from directconnection with the shoe structure proper. Were the parts shown .in Fig.3, instead of'the cushion 12 and the instep-hood 13, suitably associatedwith the shoe structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, a preferablemethod of adjusting such a shoe upon the foot of the wearer would besubstantially similar to that above described.

It will be seen that the present embodiment of this invention may beworn with the utmost comfort, the cushion 12 byits resilient naturegiving a pleasant sense of freedom to the wearer and yet, being heldfast by means of the buckle 15 and the laces 9, imparting a feeling ofease and security. The protection afforded the delicate metatarsal bonesand sensitive ligaments and nerves associated therewith is certain.Moreover, the foot when incased in the shoe is neat in appearance andthe latter not noticeably larger than ordinary.

Inasmuch as many. changes could be made in the above construction, andmany apparently widely different embodiments of my invention could bemade without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accom anyingdrawing shall be interpreted as i1 ustrative and-not in a limitingsense. It is also. to be understood that the language used in thefollowing claims is intended to cover all the ge-' neric and specificfeatures of'the invention herein described and all statements .of thescope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said tofall therebetween.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, in combination, a 4 shoestructure having opposed flexible portions at the front arranged tooverlie a portion of the instep, a cushion arranged to overlie both ofsaid flexible portions, and an instep-hood adjustable upon the shoestructure to direct said cushion against the instep, said hood having aplurality of off-set side extensions arranged to be anchored to the shoestructure,

2. In a device of the class described, in-

combination, a shoe structure having opposed flexible portions at thefront arranged to overlie a portion of the instep, a cushion arranged tooverlie both of said flexible portions, and an instep-hood adjustable.upon the shoe structure to direct said cushion against the instep.

3. In a device of the class described, in combination, a shoe structurehaving opposed flexible portions at the front arranged to overlie aportion of the inste ,and a cushion arranged to overlie both 0 saidflexible portions, said cushion being apertured.

4. In a device of the class described, in

combination, a shoe structure having opposed flexible portions at thefront arranged means carried by ,said flexible portions, aInwitnesswhereof I have hereunto signed cushion arranged to overlie saidlacing my name inthe presence of two witnesses. means, and an apertureformed in saidcush- GEORGE L. PIERCE. ion whereby said lacing means maycoiip- In the presence of 5 crate with said aperture to anchor in posi-HELEN V. FITZPATRICK,

tion said cushion. MARY H. LEWIS. v

